Easter and The Runaway Bunny

Good morning, girls and boys. I brought a book to share with you today that I bet you haven’t seen in a long time because this one is for little, little kids- though when I read it this week, I thought that maybe it’s for everybody! It’s called The Runaway Bunny, by Margaret Wise Brown.

Raise your hand if someone used to read it to you.

This book reminded me of Easter- not because it’s about a bunny, but for another reason. Maybe you’ll figure it out.

Do you remember the story of the Runaway Bunny?

(Flip quickly through the book, summarizing as you go, letting kids help tell the story.)

Once there was a little bunny who wanted to run away, so he said to his mother, “I’m running away.” And she said, “I will run after you , for you are my little bunny.

“I’ll become a fish in a stream and will swim away.” “Then I’ll become a fisherman and will fish for you.”

“I’ll become a rock on the mountain high above you.” “Then I’ll become a mountain climber…”

“I’ll become a crocus in a hidden garden.” “Then I’ll become a gardener…”

(Go through the rest of the pages…skip some if you need to.)

“I’ll be a boy and run in a house.” “Then I’ll be your mother and catch you in my arms and hug you.” “Shucks. I might just as well stay where I am and be your little bunny.” And so he did. “Have a carrot,” says the mama bunny.

Yes, this reminds me so much of Easter, but not because it’s about bunnies. It reminds me of Easter because Easter shows us that God is kind of like that mother bunny in the book, who loves us so much that God constantly comes after us, even when we act up, even when we do the worst thing possible.

God sent Jesus, God’s son, down to earth, and when people put Jesus on the cross, even that didn’t keep God from loving them and wanting to be close to them. In fact, God took this horrible thing that people did and used it to remind us that Love always wins! Jesus rose again! God made the cross something so beautiful that we put the cross up in our church and decorate it with flowers. We look at it and we remember that there is absolutely nothing we can do that will keep us from God’s love.

Let’s pray: Thank you God for loving us with a love so great that there is nothing we can do that can keep us apart. We love you, God. Amen.